i have 2 cats approx. 7 mos. old - they are sisters. one has long hair the other short. the problem is that they poop on the carpet along the base boards instead of the litter box! how do i get them to stop? another problem is that the long hair always smells becuz of the feces that is always hanging from her butt! please help with any suggestions. i do give them baths & keep the litter box clean!
Hi, in reply to your smelly cat problem, I also have two kittens who are sisters both with long hair! the best way to get them to use the litter tray is to keep putting them in it, when you put them in there move the litter around under their feet, they will soon realise that this is where they go to the toilet, but you really need to be consistant! Keep putting them in! Good Luck!
Since they are going next to the box, it sounds like they know where to go. It could be that they just don't like the litter you're using. My own cat used to refuse litter than had deoderizers in it. Some cats do not like the smell.
I suggest you spray dilluted white vinegar everywhere your cat defecates and then when you catch them pooping in the wrong place put them in a litter box with a cover and force them to stay in it for a couple of minutes.This is supposed to discourage them from pottying where they shouldn't and help them understand where they should.Also shave a little hair off their bum that will help with the poop in the hair.
If you only have one litter box, that is likely the problem. Most cats do not like to urinate and defecate in the same box. This is true. Also the "rule" for litterboxes is one more box than the number of cats. Two cats should have three litter boxes. All boxes must be frequently cleaned out, so that there is never any previous eliminations in it. The cat's have to walk in them, after all. You also have to wash the boxes themselves about every week.
The cats might hate the kind of litter you are using. Try a different textured kind. Most cats prefer the softer and finer scooping litters over hard, large sized clay litters. Scented litters can repel cats.
It is not correct to force a cat to stay in a litter box. Cats know where and what the litter box is. Usually cats don't use the litter box because it is not kept clean enough, or they don't like the feel of the litter. Or, it is in a bad location, like a busy area of the home. Othertimes, the cat has a physical problem, and comes to "blame" the box for causing the pain, so they try going somewhere else, hoping to find someplace where it won't hurt to go.
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